Just FYI
Fishing out of a little 8’ fiberglass boat. Most people had left. I on the far side of the lake alone. Slipped and lurched toward one end of the boat. it started to take on water. Scrambled toward back but too late. Front wouldn’t come up and back started to take on water. Then it all happened so fast. Boat just flipped. I came out ok but with a battery hanging in the water and a heavy anchor…me holding on to the the trolling motor shaft now sticking straight up into the air…I could not make headway anywhere. Fortunately boat was totally upside down…but would not sink. I tried to sidestroke toward three reels floating and drifting away. Could not catch them and got out of breath. Two young boy’s playing in a canoe saw me and came to my rescue. They retreived the three reels. By then Game & Fish could tell I was in trouble and came to my rescue. Some people said they saw me…and the situation looked a bit odd but I was so far away they could not tell I was in trouble. All turned out ok. Lost a battery, rod, reel, line, and vest stuffed full of fly boxes because I wasn’t wearing it. I had one hip pouch full of gear attached to boat and got to keep it. Learned a whole lot. WEAR the life jacket in the boat. You cannot put it on after you are in the water. I got one arm through but holding on to the boat with one hand…the open life vest that buckles on in front…is floating away from me. I cannot get second arm in it. Point being you need to WEAR IT WHILE FISHING. Secondly carry a whistle. I had none. Up here everyone knows what the sound of a whistle means and you are usually too out of breath to yell very loud for help. Also, keep gear in a water tight floating container attached to boat. Not an Ice chest. A BAG that can be zippered and closed up. Friend thought he had one but they did not waterproof the zippers. So his bag still filled with water. Have a WATER PROOF BAG for all gear…not a tackle box. AND DON’T GO OUT FISHING ALONE! I got lucky. Very very lucky.
I would like to add that you should have at least 100’ of nylon achor rope. I tried to side stroke and kick but could not go anywhere because not enough rope and couldn’t get anchor up. I was STUCK where I was. If I had more rope…I probably could have ditched the waders and gotten close enough to the opposite shore to stand up in the water!
Furthermore I wore hip waders. That way I put them on at home…with my river wading felt soled shoes…and just go to the lake. I can slide my little 8’ boat into the water…and walk out into the water…put things in it…and get in and go. Don’t have to have it beached. Well…the waders filled up with water when I went under. NO HIP WADERS ON A BOAT!!!
Next time I will just wear my felt soled shoes and go out in shorts or blue jeans…wet wade if you wanna call it that. But no more wearing hip waders on my boat.
By the way…you think no HIP waders…ABSOLUTELY NO CHEST WADERS!
Glad to hear you are ok–Ill get myself a whistle. My chest deep water soaking was in march. The boat took on water as I fell over board. I was able to hange on the side of the boat. That night I bought a new inflatable life jacket that I now wear when Im in the boat. I just reached up turner on the electric trolling moter and went to shore. That water was cold. Two days later I got ready to go out again and my wife handed me a sack to take along. She had packed dry cloths in case Id go in again. BILL
Wow! two close calls reported in one day (See Paddling).
Gemrod good to hear your OK. The advise on the Life Jacket can’t be better expressed. I owe my life to a Life Jacket as well - you never know when the surprise will come and it happens faster than you care to think.
Jim,
You promise me you’ll ALWAYS wear the vest (life vest … not so concerned about the fishing vest), and I’ll replace all the flies you lost. GAWD!! You need a good woman to smack you around a bit!!!:rolleyes:
Betty, you got the promise. You do not have to provide flies. But I do indeed promise to wear the life vest anytime I am in a boat in the future. Until some point in time where I can afford the co2 suspenders. I will wear the life vest.
That is a promise to you.
And hat’s off to you (pun intended) as I probably would not have if you had not brought it up, and caused me to commit to it.
You certainly did have a scary situation. Unfortunately, small glass boats don’t sink like the Titanic, they go under in less than five-ten seconds. Don’t ask how I know! I’m really sorry to hear about the loss of your gear. I would be a lot more sorry to hear that you didn’t make it out of the water. I too an giving thanks or your successful rescue. Take care my friend! 8T
Boating safety is always a good thing to remind folks about…and I’m glad that you fared well. So many don’t.
While I like fishing out of small boats, I’ve swamped one by moving too far forward but was lucky enough to balance quickly and only ship maybe five gallons of water over the bow. But I did see two guys in a 10-foot Livingston (a very stable twin-hulled craft) flip the boat when both moved to one corner to pull on a stuck shrimp pot.
Your call to wear a PFD at all times is something that we should heed. I’m going to be working on that myself. I wear a float coat in the winter, but usually skip the PFD in the summer. However, an inflatable is on the way and will be worn.
Most (can’t remember the exact figure, but it’s very high–like over 70 percent) of drownings involve males with open zippers, according to a report attributed to the Coast Guard. Many of those guys would still be alive if they’d been wearing a PFD. That kind of makes you think.
Glad to hear everything turned out alright. Being is that situation is no fun. I surf fish quite a bit here on Long Island, and sometimes I put myself into, lets say…less that safe situations by climbing up on weed and barnacle encrusted rocks (thank goodness for Korkers sandals) Since the death of an acquaintance several years ago (he was swept off a jetty into an inlet), I now wear a pair of Sospenders World Class Boating floatation device. They cost me around $175 and are auto-inflating. Well worth the money. They’ve only inflated once when I got swept off a rock by a larger than normal wave. I strongly recommend the purchase of something similar. Again, glad everything worked out for you.
We all love ya anyhow!!!
Get 'im Betty!!